Crossroads to Death's End
by Christine Glen Haven
Summary: Harry and Ron die at the Malfoy Manor, and Hermione is held captive.  Will she find hope in an unexpected person, or will she find an inevitable death?
1. The Beginning of the End

_Hello everyone! Thanks so much for being interested in the story! Since I've never written to the M audience before, I'll start out by briefly explaining myself. I write at the beginning and end of a chapter. It all pertains to the story so please read it. I will be likely to post polls to my profile, and I will notify you big time so you for sure know. Please participate. It helps me entertain you. I love reviews, and they encourage me to keep writing. It's always nice to know what you think even if you're (respectfully) telling me you hate it. This will not be PWP so please don't ask. This story is rated M so the plot can be unrestrained. After all, this is a dark story. HAPPY READING!_

* * *

**The Beginning of the End**

"RON!" Hermione wailed, hysterically trying to crawl towards his motionless body. "No! RON, PLEASE!"

"Get up!" An unidentifiable burly man in a mask grasped Hermione and tried to jerk her to her feet, but she was still lunging for Ron. "God damnit! Get up!" He stomped on Hermione's leg painfully and managed to pin her to the floor. Bellatrix lunged forward, jerked her up, and slammed her back onto the table where they had been torturing her minutes earlier.

"SILENCIO!" she screeched, shooting the spell straight at Hermione's throat. She gagged as the spell temporarily prevented her from voicing her crazed objections. She had just witnessed Harry Potter and Ron Weasley's murders, and frankly, she was not thinking clearly.

"What should we do with her, My Lord? Should we kill the Mudblood?" Bellatrix sounded more excited than she had in weeks. The deaths of the "Golden Trio" as they were called would be a huge victory for the Dark Lord, and surely all his loyal followers would be rewarded beyond their wildest dreams. This idea made Bellatrix so excited that she was shaking like a mad woman, her lucid eyes appearing more crazed than ever.

"Not yet," the Dark Lord hissed. "That would be relief for her. No, we want her to feel as much pain as possible. She resisted Lord Voldemort. She will pay the price. Keeping her alive will torture her more."

Bellatrix laughed insanely. "Oh Master, that is a wondrously perfect idea! What shall we do with her in the mean time?"

"We watch her, we gloat, we plan," The Dark Lord coolly explained. "She will have to die once she seems to regain her usual anger and looks as if she may be trying to find some strength. That could be five minutes from now…or five months. Nevertheless, she will die sometime."

An unsatisfied growl sounded from the dark corner of the room. "But, My Lord, you promised…"

"Yes, Greyback, I did," The Dark Lord cut off. "I never said when, though. You will be able to enjoy her flesh soon enough, but for now you must be patient. You have done a great service to Lord Voldemort this evening, and Lord Voldemort rewards his servers greatly. Lord VOldemort also keeps his promises, Greyback, you will see."

"Thank you, My Lord," he gasped, mechanically dropping to the floor in a deep reverent bow. "You are a kind Lord, indeed."

"Kind?" The Dark Lord hissed at him, laughing coldly to himself. "I've never heard kind used to describe me before. Is that what you see me as? Am I kind to the wizarding world, to those I don't believe belong in it?"

Greyback's face changed into abrupt fear, and, if possible, he bowed more deeply, attempting to hide the fierce trembling from his trepidation. "N-No, My Lord, that's not what I think." Greyback's pulse raced as he snuck a look up at his master who was circling him like a pack of coyotes would circle a Pekingese. "I should not have said that."

"You're quite right, Greyback, you shouldn't have," the Dark Lord said angrily. "Do you know what was known for his kindness, especially to mudbloods and blood traitors?"

"D-Dumbledore?" Greyback guessed, silently praying he was correct.

"Yes you hairy idiot, Albus Dumbledore, and do you think I want to be associated with him in any way?" The Dark Lord had pulled out his wand and pointed it threateningly towards Fenrir.

"Of course not, My Lord," Greyback huffed as if he had just run a marathon. "I am…"

"My Lord," Bellatrix cut in wildly. "I do not think you are like Albus Dumbledore. I think you are much…" . But the Dark Lord held up a hand to silence her commandingly.

"I know what you think, Bella, you don't need to remind me." Bellatrix shrunk back into the shadows. "Now, Greyback, I think it's time you see what happens when people compare Lord VOldemort to Albus Dumbledore." Greyback squealed in terror. "Fool, I am not going to kill you. I gain nothing by doing that. I'm just going to reinforce the idea of power in your mind and how much you don't have. _CRUCIO!"_ Fenrir screamed a deathly, high pitched scream like a dying animal. The scream reverberated the room and seemed to pierce the minds of all the occupants as they began to scream too…

"WAKE UP YOU STUPID GIRL!" screeched a familiar voice as the all-too-familiar hand met Hermione's cheek forcibly. "WAKE UP! IF THE DARK LORD WAKES UP, WE'LL ALL BE DEAD!"

Hermione shot up in her bed, beads of sweat dripping off her forehead. "What's going on?"

"You won't stop screaming like a stupid banshee!" Bellatrix Lestrange spat in quiet venom. "If the Dark Lord wakes up because of this, I will personally make sure he feeds you to the snake…alive!"

"Sorry," Hermione grumbled in an insincere tone, "but your actions are so evil that they give me night terrors."

Bellatrix scoffed at her mockingly. "Gave you night terrors? No wonder you lost the war you imbecile. You're a little child still, a tiny, itsy-bitsy baby." She cackled sourly. "I can't believe that crackpot old fool Dumbledore viewed you as hope for the Wizarding World."

"He's not an old fool!" Hermione growled, incensed. For the past two weeks, Dumbledore and Harry Potter bashing had become nothing short of a recreational sport, especially in the presence of Hermione.

"If you say so." She laughed darkly. "Think about one thing, though. They're dead and the rest of us are alive."

Hermione thrashed about in the tangled sheets, attempting to steady herself enough to attack Bellatrix who was too fast for her. She had her wand out in less than a second.

"The Dark Lord said we could do it if we saw due reason," Bellatrix reminded Hermione with a clear sound of manic triumph in her voice. "Attacking me would be due reason."

Hermione yearned to say that she wanted to die, but she felt as if that would be giving up for good. As long as she was alive, there was some hope. After all, she knew about the Horcruxes. If only she could contact someone else…but of course she had no chance at that. Someone looked after her day and night, not to mention, she had no wand. She had to admit she was trapped.

Hermione backed off and laid back down. "I'm going back to sleep," she mumbled, turning over to ignore Bellatrix.

"Fine, but make one more noise, and you'll wish you hadn't been born." Bellatrix swept out of the room, shutting the door quietly. These days, waking the Dark Lord from his precious slumber was an unforgivable offense.

Hermione motionlessly waited for Bellatrix to make her way back down the hall, not wanting to risk the possibility of her hearing movement. When she finally was sure she was in the clear, she sat up and took a deep breath. Although she was a prisoner in the Malfoy Manor, she had to admit her accommodations were better than expected. The estate was massive, almost like a large hotel. Hermione supposed they had made it like that to house the most important Death Eaters. She had expected they would keep her down in the cellar like they kept normal prisoners. But then again, they knew what they were going to do with her. Those prisoners were still awaiting sentencing…or being held for a time when they would be more useful. The war was over, and they had lost, Bellatrix was right. There was no need to lock Hermione up like she was a threat, and Hermione supposed that idea was what made her so upset, the lack of value placed upon her. Sometimes she wished she was stored in the cellar. At least she would feel as if she was keeping the Dark Lord on edge.

It had been two weeks since she first began her period of incarceration, two weeks since Ron and Harry had been brutally murdered at the hands of the Dark Lord. They had forced her to watch it, every part, even the unceremonious feeding of the bodies to Nagini, the Dark Lord's snake. That sight alone nearly caused her to lose her sanity, but somehow, life at the Manor had sobered her up. If Hermione's situation hadn't been so dire, she would almost have found the inner workings of the Dark Lord's circle fascinating. However, living in constant fear of the unknown squashed the curiosity ordinarily connected with one's fascination quickly and thoroughly. Life at the manor was humdrum for Hermione, except that fear constantly consumed her, making it more of a frightening unwanted adventure without a definite outcome. Every morning Hermione woke up and wondered if it would be her last. Every time the sun set she wondered if she would see life again. She could honestly say that nobody else in the manor could feel that way. The Malfoys were the next closest things to prisoners, true, but the Dark Lord was not going to kill them. The Malfoys tended to act as the servants of the household. After Lucius's slip-ups at the Ministry and Draco's failure to kill Dumbledore, the Dark Lord had retired them as acting Death Eaters. Instead, he turned them into another Wormtail, except they were more able and brighter. In fact, the Malfoys usually played the role as Hermione's babysitter. They constantly tailed her, sometimes from afar, willing her to try and make some covert contact or frightened cry for help. So far, she hadn't given them any reason to doubt her conduct. Unfortunately, to do so would mean instant death.

To occupy her days, Hermione would try and spend time in the library, but she couldn't concentrate on reading like she used to. Images of Harry and Ron's lifeless bodies being devoured by the slithering snake would unexpectedly fill her head, and she would jerk it side to side roughly to try and shake those thoughts. She tried to shut those bad thoughts out, even tried the old occlumency technique, but that night had been the single most traumatizing night of her life. Nothing was going to help.

She had grown up that night, learning that nobody was immortal, with the exception of the Dark Lord who seemed pretty damn close. She had never thought Harry and Ron, well mostly Harry, would actually be able to die. Both of them had skipped death so many times, especially Harry. In the end, it had been a slip-up, a horrible mistake brought on by extreme emotion that ended up proving to be the fatal blow. It was not the way Harry or Ron would have wanted to die. They died runaways, not heroes, as the Death Eaters constantly reminded Hermione gleefully. Although Hermione insisted that was not the case constantly, she couldn't help but privately agreeing with them. It wasn't just an undesirable way to die, it was also anticlimactic, and that fact irked Hermione constantly.

Hermione wanted nothing more than to just crawl out of bed and tiptoe out of bed for a nice, easy (and innocent) walk in the nighttime where she could feel the beginnings of spring all around her. However, to the Death Eaters, that would seem like an attempt at an escape, and no matter how she defended herself, she would be dead. She gazed out the window longingly. The last time she had been outside had been the last hours of Harry and Ron. Ever since, she had been locked in this place. Had she not been held here under duress, she would have maybe enjoyed the beautiful home. However, something about it made it stark and daunting like a haunted house. It was probably the presence of creeps like the Lestranges and Severus Snape.

She had seen Dumbledore's murderer only a few times, and he had avoided her as much as possible. When he was forced to be in the same room as her, he would shift his eyes away from hers, determined not to make eye contact. It was as if he was trying to hide something in his eyes from her…his feelings. There had been a particularly uncomfortable moment in the hallway near the library just two days ago when the two unexpectedly met each other. The hallway was narrow with only enough room for one person to walk through it comfortably at a time. Hermione and Snape had been traveling in opposite directions. Upon nearly running into each other, they stopped and made eye contact. Both had been immersed in their own thoughts and hadn't watched where they were going. Hermione attempted to pierce Snape with the dirtiest glare possible. Her expression spoke a thousand words of hatred and fresh pain from his betrayal. If Snape had not killed Dumbledore, they probably would never have ended up in the Manor at all. Snape quickly turned around and stalked away briskly while mumbling, "Watch where you're going, Granger" barely audibly. Hermione stared after him. Throughout the years he had always been nasty to her and treated her unfairly. He had never been sheepish or skittish around her like he had been just then. Times had obviously changed indeed.

Hermione noticed the sun starting to creep up to the horizon, painting the sky a gorgeous color of purple and pink as the black of night floated away temporarily. The Dark Lord would awaken soon and begin the normal proceedings of the day. She had best be asleep when he did. Like most average people, he was a bear in the mornings. Unlike most average people, he was plotting to rule and kill thousands if not millions. His views on Hermione changed with his moods. When in a good mood, he would let her live limitedly of course, but let her live nonetheless. He liked the idea of one of the "golden trio" staying alive just enough to see his changes to the wizarding world. However, if he was in a bad mood, he would allow anyone to do whatever they pleased to her, even kill her. She had learnt this the first day she was there. She got in his way, and he allowed the Death Eaters to torture her to their hearts content. The Dark Lord only stopped them when he thought she was about to break. He had said he didn't want to kill her just yet, but the time could come at any point. That was what scared Hermione. It wasn't the prospect of dying. Quite frankly, she had lost nearly everything she had. She had lost her boyfriend and her best friend, not to mention one of her mentors. She lost her parents who, for their own safety, had to be charmed into forgetting her, and she lost a bunch of classmates who she had grown up with. There was no home for her, and there was no protection. She could handle dying. She couldn't handle not knowing when. Death was inevitable, she knew that very well. She just constantly had to wonder how soon the inevitable was coming.

As the top of the sun began to rise into view, Hermione retired to her bed. She had not been able to sleep well the first many nights, but she had begun to manage. She had too. Her sleep was plagued with nightmares and interruptions, but that was inevitable, like her death. Her dreams could not be any worse than real life, in her opinion, so why should she prevent them? At least she could wake up relieved to know that they never actually happened, and they weren't the reality she would have to wake up to every morning. Unfortunately, that reality tended to be worse lately.

* * *

_So there's the first chapter. I'm just starting college so it will be hard for me to update as I'm sure you can imagine, but I will try my best to write and post chapters as quickly as possible. Please review and tell me if it's a good idea. I'm excited about this story, but if nobody is going to read it, then I will come up with a different plot. Thanks!_

_XOXO,_

_Christine_


	2. A Ghost in the Darkness

_I've finally adjusted to college life, and I'm about to start a series of breaks because the holiday season is soon to begin! Yea! I will be able to get back to this story! I have some seriously wondrous ideas! Please review, and if you have any ideas that you would love to share, I am always all ears! I love my readers!_

Sp

I am a ghost…at least that is what the mirror tells me. I try to avoid it, but when I accidentally see the shadow I have become, I immediately zone in on the bony pale face and the dark, paunchy eyes. I look like a Malfoy, which I guess is to be expected since I am currently held captive in their manor.

The house is beautiful, nobody can deny it, but it is dark…like the Death Eaters. The inhabitants use candles sparingly, only when absolutely necessary to see. Most of the time the monsters pop a quick "LUMOS!" spell to see their path and actions. Unfortunately for me, this is not a possibility since my wand was confiscated upon my arrival.

Every morning at half past eight, Narcissa Malfoy wakes me up by carelessly barging into my room and violently shaking me. Much of the time I am already awake. However, she gives no thought to that. In fact, she seems distracted. Perhaps the prospect of all the visitors in her house is beginning to wear her out too.

Sometimes I am given work to do, such as cleaning or acting as a personal servant to a Death Eater who needs to concentrate on a mission. However, most of the time I am left to wander around the house aimlessly which I find even more painful than being forced to witness evil straight on. With nothing to do, I sit and imagine what could have been and what is to come. At least work can distract me from my doom and the doom of those left that I care about. When working, I can switch into robotic mode, a technique I have been attempting to perfect. I can literally shut off my brain and disconnect all thinking switches. That way I cannot be traumatized by what I see or hear, and I can shut out the past. After all, as Bellatrix Lestrange constantly reminds me: Harry and Ron are gone, and they are never coming back.

SP

"Some stupid ten-year-old used the Dark Lord's name in Surrey last night," snarled Goyle while pouring through a newspaper eating toast and marmalade.

"That made the news?" snorted Astoria Greengrass, the newest member of the Death Eaters. "Honestly, the _Daily Prophet _is a mindless piece of trash. How can you enjoy reading that filth?"

"I assure you that I do not enjoy it," Goyle retorted, violently turning the page. "Unfortunately, this little task was delegated to me specifically by the Dark Lord."

"Isn't it Crabbe's job to edit and censor the paper daily?" Astoria questioned.

"Yes, but we have to make sure he doesn't…miss things. Everyone makes mistakes."

Astoria snorted loudly. "What are you…Albus Dumbledore?"

_CRASH! _I dropped the pitcher of pumpkin juice I was holding. Upon hearing the loud clamor, Astoria looked up at me and cackled sourly.

"STUPID MUDBLOOD!" Goyle yelled. "Clean that shit up now!" He pointed his wand at me threateningly and I scurried into the kitchen to find a rag. Fortunately, Kroy, the house-elf, was waiting near the entrance with a towel. He smiled at me sympathetically and motioned for me to go back into the dining room. I silently thanked him before turning around to face the touchy wrath in the room.

"You better be able to serve me some Pumpkin Juice within the next six seconds or I will curse you!" Goyle threatened, attempting to intimidate me. Although everything frightens me nowadays, the Crabbes and Goyles don't as much. The two burly fathers are just as stupid as their sons. Apparently ignorance and insolence runs in the family. Nevertheless, they have the wands, and I have nothing. Even the House-elves have their certain types of magic that in all actuality are stronger than the wizards'. Technically, I rank below them in power. I am the same as a muggle now, a captured muggle that is being dangled over a pit of darkness.

After hastily cleaning the spill non-magically and pouring some new Pumpkin Juice, I lean up against a counter in a dark corner of the kitchen taking deep breaths. Astoria's remark had been completely mindless and stupid. Her weak attempt at sardonic banter should not have phased me at all, but unfortunately for me, I'm quite touchy. Everything bothers me nowadays. Astoria is probably gaily cackling in the dining room, proud of herself for affecting the "mudblood". I wish I could say that I am striving to show them my true strength someday, but sadly, I am just trying to hold on. No matter how weak the taunt, I am put out. I have turned into the bully's easiest, yet still most satisfying target.

Sp

Luckily, in the afternoon, I can manage to steal away to the library. The Dark Lord is currently abroad, meaning the atmosphere in the Malfoy house is not quite as cutthroat as normal. When He is in town, a hushed, creepy silence overtakes the manor. Everyone is afraid to disturb him, since doing so could lead to torture or even death. However, when he is gone, the Death Eaters tend to argue more. The Dark Lord always fails to clarify who exactly is in charge whilst he is gone, probably because he does not want to give anyone power but himself. If he put someone in a position remotely resembling a nuance of power, then the potential for uprising is born. Even though the Dark Lord could easily defeat any one of his supporters, he does not desire to damage his core of followers but I digress.

Bellatrix fights with Snape. Rudolphus fights with Bellatrix. The Malfoy family believes they are entitled since they own the Manor. Everyone is united in putting them down, however, especially since Lucius does not even have a wand. Minor eruptions of arguments occur all day long. In fact, I nearly find them comforting. Dark silence usually symbolizes the presence of the Dark Lord or the carrying out of a malicious and grisly plan.

Back to the library: The assortment of books owned by the Malfoys are quite interesting. They have all the basics like "A History of Magic" and "The Standard Book of Spells" series. What I was somewhat surprised to find on this dingy afternoon, however was "The Tales of Beetle the Bard." The book is an antique, even more magnificent than the copy given to me by Albus Dumbledore. The old brown binding is delicately woven together with fine threads. Dust covers the pages. The book obviously has not been opened or even thought about in a long time. I wonder if Draco even knows the stories. It's hard to remember that the Malfoy family may have been normal wizards at some point. Of course Draco has always been a selfish git, but I know for a fact he hasn't always been immersed in the serious Death Eater business. In our first year, he worried more about Quidditch and getting Harry expelled from school than anything, and something tells me it wasn't his love for the Dark Lord that wanted Harry gone as much as it was his overall contempt for Harry. Those two were destined to despise each other from the beginning.

As I read once again about the three brothers whose cheating death lead to the formation of the Deathly Hallows, I realized that nobody is truly safe. Of course, I am not naïve. I have known this all along, but frankly, I am probably safer in this manor than anywhere else. This way nobody has to hunt for me. They have me right where they want me. So far they have nothing to gain by killing me. However, I shudder knowing that could change almost any second. Voldemort could have a minor setback and they could kill me for recreation, as a pick-me-up; or the usage of an enemy sacrifice could suddenly become necessary. Well, I am the perfect enemy remaining. I am the next closest thing to Harry Potter, and Voldemort has already managed to eliminate him.

"What are you doing in here?" came an icy voice from the entrance. Lucius Malfoy strolled into the room, his sunken face and dreary eyes full of malice and hatred. "I thought we told you to stay out of the way this afternoon. Tell me, Mudblood, is that impossible for you?"

I hesitated, wondering if this question was meant to be answered. "No, sir," I whispered, hurriedly standing up to leave the room. I scurried like a scared child out of the room without a backwards glance. The door slammed behind me, and once again I stopped to take a deep breath. Each time I have a hostile run-in with a Death Eater, I wonder how long I have left. They could always kill me and claim I did something to deserve it.

"Watch where you're going," muttered a large figure who pushed past me without even noticing my identity. I whirled around, squinting in the dark hall to see the owner of the rude voice and noticed that it was none other than Draco Malfoy himself. Since my arrival, he has barely said two words to me, let alone looked me in the eye. He had seemed hesitant to give away my presence when I was originally captured, which I am grateful for; but now he treats me like I am a piece of dust: nonexistent. He seems almost as run down as me, however, probably from the stress of being one of the Dark Lord's undesirable followers. After all, he was supposed to be the one to kill Albus Dumbledore but he failed to complete the task, demoting him in his master's eyes. I suppose he and I are in two similar situations. His family is enduring the wrath of the Dark Lord and is constantly threatened with death. After all, they are constantly reminded that they are useless, now. I must say, I don't see why, however. Draco was delegated a quite impossible task, and of course he was always meant to fail, and yes, the prophecy was destroyed under Lucius Malfoy, but none of those are damning issues. The Malfoys are great wizards, dare I actually admit that.

"Mudblood, come here!" shrieked the cold voice of Bellatrix Lestrange from somewhere below. Sighing, I began to trudge down the stairs. "Quicker!" I hastened my pace.

"Yes," I said, bowing slightly when I entered Bellatrix's drawing room.

"I have some questions for you," Bellatrix said, standing up and beginning to circle me. "Answer truthfully and thoroughly or you will face the Dark Lord's wrath. Now, we have some runaways who are evading capture by the name of…" she glanced down at a piece of parchment and smirked for dramatic effect. "…Weasley." I attempted to mask any emotion from my face to deny her the pleasure of seeing my pain.

"We believe they may be trying the same little tricks you tried when you were on the run with your stupid friends," she said, her smile growing. "I must know every spell and enchantment you placed around yourselves while in hiding. We need to be able to break those so we can…ah…round them up per say."

I couldn't take it. "You're going to kill them?"

"Of course, you stupid girl, what else would we do?" Bellatrix sang with a voice much like Dolores Umbridge.

"Please," I begged. "Please don't. I'll do anything."

Bellatrix chuckled. "How touching. Tell me, Granger, do you love them? Are they like your second family?" I stared at her with the hatred of a burning sun. "How cute. Well, unfortunately, your family has been very bad indeed…yes…very bad, and someone must pay for it."

"Then kill me!" I boldly proclaimed before I could stop myself.

"That will happen one day, rest assured," Bellatrix snapped, obviously irked because I wasn't dead yet. She had wanted me dead the night Harry and Ron were killed. "But we are exterminating all people who show no support for our new regime, and I believe the Weasley family is at the top of the list. Nothing you can do will save them, so I suggest you cooperate with me and write down in full detail each spell used."

"Or what?" I challenged, trying to gather all the courage I possessed, which at this point was not much.

"CRUCIO!" Bellatrix sang. The pain was unbearable. White hot knives were searing through my skin and piercing every inch of my body. It felt unending.

"Ready now?" Bellatrix hissed, handing me a quill and parchment with her twisted smile engulfing her face.

Gasping and weak, I still refused to give in.

"Imperio!" Bellatrix screeched. That dreadful sensation of nothing overwhelmed me. I turned to Bellatrix and looked to her, my new master, for directions.

"Write down all your enchantments used to conceal and protect yourselves while on the run from the Dark Lord, his loyal followers, and his snatchers. Please then provide a detailed analysis of how to perform them and break them to the best of your knowledge."

I have no strength. I obliged.  
S:DK

_I will post again tomorrow, hopefully. Thanks so much for reading this, and comments are greatly appreciated. I value all feedback I receive. Thank you so much, and sorry for the long break! It's been a stressful semester!_

_XOXO,_

_CHRISTINE_


	3. The Need of Survival

_I apologize profusely for my abandonment of this story. Now that I have finished my freshman year of college and come home for the summer, I have plenty of time to keep writing this story. I am very excited about some of my ideas! As always, I greatly welcome your opinions and CONSTRUCTIVE criticism. Enjoy! _

**The Need of Survival**

_SP_

"Miss, please don't cry. There's nothing you could have done." Kroy was sitting next to me on my bed, rubbing my back, attempting to assuage my unending sorrow. "Master Bellatrix is too powerful, and had you not given in, she would have killed you."

"I wish she did," I moaned into the tear-stained pillow. "There is no reason for me to be alive, anymore, and now I am helping them catch an entire family. If I were dead…"

"Then they would just find other ways to catch the Weasleys," Kroy finished, cutting me off. "Don't speak of death. You'll only bring bad luck upon yourself."

"I don't know what 'bad luck' even is anymore," I miserably sobbed. "Nothing that happens in this god-forsaken place could have any good effect whatsoever. I will be spending the rest of my miserable life in these walls as I am constantly reminded. What good could possibly come of this?"

"To tell you the truth, I don't know, Miss, but you mustn't give up hope. That will only make you waste away more painfully. You have to try to be strong…for your mental health."

I slowly sat up and looked at Kroy curiously. "Forgive me, Kroy, but you surprise me."

"How so, Madam?"

"I'm on a level lower than you, yet you still refer to me respectfully. Also, you don't seem to be out-for-blood as much as the rest of this house."

"Well, I've been serving this house for many years, Madam," Kroy explained, blushing at the indirect compliments.

"Wait, so you know Dobby?" I had never considered this though it should have been an obvious fact that I realized straightaway.

"Yes," Kroy answered, almost with a slight hesitation in his voice. "Unfortunately, Dobby is not like other elves. He…well…he's on a sort of freedom…rampage, I'm very sorry to say."

"I know," I replied, showing some personality and fire for the first time in weeks. "I wholeheartedly support him in that. I've personally never agreed with the harsh treatment of House-elves."

Kroy looked politely shocked at these words. "I…I've never heard of such a witch, one who shows…compassion towards us elves."

I sighed. "I wish I could change that, Kroy."

"I is liking you more and more, Madam," Kroy said, attempting a seated bow. "Now I is not saying anything against my Masters, let me make that clear, but I always thought you were…different than the inhabitants other than the fact that you are a prisoner, of course. Now I see just how different you are."

"Unfortunately, being different is not working to my advantage," I pointed out.

"But that doesn't mean you should become like the people in this manor," Kroy said, puffing out his chest to seem dignified and important as he stood up as if to make an important proclamation. "Why miss, you are being held prisoner against your will in this place, and the only hope you have at not turning into a total lunatic is to hold some trace of yourself. Now, I've noticed that the life has been leaving you ever so slowly since you arrived. You have become a repetitive shell with a soul that is suppressed inside. Maybe you shouldn't suppress it so much. I mean of course you have to toe the line but…"

Kroy was suddenly interrupted by the loud crashing of the door being banged open crazily.  
"WHAT IS THIS I HEAR?" Bellatrix Lestrange crazily screeched with a chilling voice like that of a banshee. "IS THE PATHETIC LITTLE CREATURE TRYING TO INSPIRE THE MUDBLOOD TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST THE DARK LORD?"

"No, Miss, I…I…simply…"

Bellatrix lunged forward and grasped Kroy by the tea-cozy. She pulled his face right up to hers, and bellowed, "THE DARK LORD WILL NOT TOLERATE BETRAYAL FROM ANY FACET OF HIS COMPANY, INCLUDING ELF SCUM!" She violently shook Kroy uncontrollably.

"PLEASE!" Hermione begged, tears once again freely streaming down her face. "PLEASE! YOU'RE HURTING HIM!"

"THAT'S THE GENERAL IDEA!" Bellatrix shrieked as she threw Kroy against the wall. "DON'T DO ANYTHING TO HELP YOURSELF!" Those words immobilized him completely. He had to follow her orders, as she was one of his masters. She cackled a cold evil laugh at these words. She had total control. "Maybe I should kill you in front of the Mudblood, or maybe I should haul you away and let her imagine the nasty things I could do to you. Or maybe, I could force her to kill you! Yes, that would be quite a show for me to watch. Saint Hermione, the savage elf murderer. I could have you do it in front of the other Death Eaters. We haven't properly tortured you in a long time." As Bellatrix mused of all the torturous ways she could force Hermione to rid them of Kroy, she didn't notice Kroy begin to execute a plot of his own. It was only when she heard the crack of his spell summoning a dagger that she was momentarily pulled out of her reverie.

"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?" she screamed, pointing her wand at him to try and pry the dagger from his fingers. Too late. Right there in front of Bellatrix and Hermione, Kroy plunged the dagger into his stomach, quickly and deeply.

Both witches screamed as blood spattered and began to pour out of his abdomen uncontrollably. However, while Bellatrix's scream was in fury, Hermione's was in pain.

"Kroy!" she rushed over to him despite Bellatrix's rage. "NO!"

"Miss Hermione," Kroy gasped. "I'm s-sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" I sobbed at him. "I should be the sorry one."

Kroy either ignored her statement or was too weak to process words. "What you need…it's in my…living…area." With a small gasp, he moved no more.

"WHAT YOU NEED?" Bellatrix howled at me. "WHAT YOU NEED IS A TORTUROUS CURSE RIGH THROUGH OUR HEART THAT FINISHES YOU OFF FOR GOOD!" She brandished her wand threateningly, growling. "However, I think we should see what is in his "living area" if you can call it that and then decide. Come, mudblood."

She beckoned for me to follow her, still pointing her wand at me. I calmly obliged, trying to keep myself together after witnessing that horrible event.

Bellatrix and I descended deep into the depths of the manor through rooms I had never stepped foot in before. I had never explored the house because god only knows what would happen if I was found unknowingly lurking around the wrong place at the wrong time. She opened a small, nearly unnoticeable door along a dark corridor.

"In," she hissed, holding the door for me like an officer escorting a prisoner.

I expected the room to be tiny and dingy, but in reality it reminded me somewhat of the Hogwarts Great Hall. The ceiling extended up into the heavens, though they didn't show the weather of the outdoors. Hundreds of House-elves were slaving away over the kitchen area and laundry, while others raced around with cleaning supplies preparing to dash unnoticed around the house.

"Master Bellatrix," many of them squeaked and bowed low to the ground as she passed. "Is there anything I can get for you? It is such an honor to see you grace us with your presence!"

"Tell me where Kroy lived," Bellatrix hissed rudely to the subservient elves. Their cheerful expressions towards her animosity filled me with hatred.

"Right this way, Master!" a tinny elf squeaked. "I will lead you to it!" She hustled us around a corner to a smelly area full of lopsided tangles of cloth and old flea-bitten blankets. Kroy's stuff was in the furthest corner. "Is there anything else I can get you? A snack? A brandy?"

"Do not speak unless directed," Bellatrix hissed. "Where did he keep his possessions in this pile of rubbish? DO you know?"

"Binka doesn't know for sure, but I believe he keeps them under his bed like the rest of us."

"Pull them all out for us," Bellatrix commanded. The elf worked magically fast and pulled out an odd assortment of trash. The only thing that looked at all useful was a decently large, but shabby book. The small pang of excitement I had begun to felt died in me. All he had wanted to give me was a storybook probably to cheer me up. It was just a measure of courtesy, not anything truly useful. Then again, Dumbledore's story book had proved frighteningly useful.

"Open the book," Bellatrix snapped at me. "Now." I did and a cloud of dust emanated from it. It looked like a diary that hadn't been written in for a long time. I handed it to Bellatrix.

She scoffed. "Well apparently he wants you to know his inner thoughts, Mudblood," she snapped after taking a quick glance at it. "Perhaps he wants to express his undying love for you." She threw the book back at me.

Bellatrix stormed from the room angrily, feeling as if she had been cheated out of some legitimate entertainment by Kroy and me. She left me alone, and I hastily pocketed the diary. Maybe he had written some sort of message in there for me. Of course, someone like Bellatrix would not place an emphasis on something such as writing, but I hoped she wouldn't tell the Dark Lord, for he may be more suspicious, and if I were to be found in possession of the book, it could be an issue. Still knowing this, I decided to keep it. I doubted Bellatrix would actually tell the Dark Lord since he hates any form of uprising occurring in the house. Surprisingly he believes in the unity of his supporters since they all have one common goal. However, he keeps the unity level safe and adds a flair of mystery so they have no chances to overtake him.

SP

Later I retire to the library with an old blanket I found in my room and curl up in a chair near the far windows, the image of Kroy's helpless dying body flooding my brain. When I returned to my room earlier that day, his body was gone. I don't know whether Bellatrix took it or if some other House-elf retrieved it. I decided it would be within my best interests to keep from inquiring. The Dark Lord will definitely be angry enough with the situation as it is. Hopefully Bellatrix will not want to anger him. Unfortunately, his expertise at occlumency makes it nearly impossible to keep a secret in the manor.

I turn the diary over in my hands. The book is old, and it even reminds me somewhat of Tom Riddle's old diary. The pages are not dated. I have no way of knowing the timeline of the entries. Kroy was certainly an older elf. He must have been around for many years. If he religiously kept a diary throughout his entire lifetime, it would definitely span over at least one hundred books. I open to the first page.

_All of a sudden more house-elves is being brought into this estate, and I don't know why. I hear rumors of the Dark Lord's followers coming to stay, but since I have been ill for many weeks, I am out of the house-elf loop. I stayed in the pantry to keep my sickness from spreading. Binka says they are coming to stay and help. We will be cramped into this big room instead of having our own space and…_

All of a sudden I pause in my reading as I hear the large double doors to the library sweep open and closed furiously. I sink into the chair. Whoever just entered the room sounds like they have an agenda, and they would be very angry to discover me here. I have to stay quiet and unnoticed.

"Draco," hissed his mother. "I know she has power over you, but you must do as we say. She has an eye for you, and a partnership between the two of you can mean exoneration for this family."

"But, mother, she is insufferable and stupid," Draco pleaded.

"Ah," Lucius cut in with his sly voice, "but you must admit she is very attractive and well-situated, and frankly, she is the only option available to you right now as you are not allowed to leave this house."

"I understand that," Draco replied, "but this is risky. If it does not work out, all she has to do is whisper one treasonous rumor about me and…and…I'm done for."

"It must work out!" his mother shrieked in a low hiss. "It must!" Her heavy breathing echoed throughout the library. She paused for a moment, regaining composure. "You have no other tasks set for you right now, Draco. Please just do this one. This family is desperate. The Dark Lord is obviously going to be victorious, and now that he has control over the world, we are not better than the mudblood. We are prisoners in our own house, and once she is dead, we will be next in line to go the Dark Lord gets angry."

"And you think my courting Astoria would help that?" Draco asked incredulously. "The Dark Lord scoffs at the idea of love. For God's sake, Bellatrix is like a dog in heat around him and he doesn't even acknowledge it."

"The Dark Lord has respect for the Greengrass family," Lucius answered. "He wouldn't look at it as love the same way you won't. The only person "in love" will be Astoria unless you can grow to love her, which I highly suggest. If you two could begin a powerful partnership in devotion to the Dark Lord, this family and its name could still be saved."

"So the future of our family is in my hands," Draco sighed sardonically.

"Show some thankfulness for everything your father and I have provided for you over the years!" Narcissa spat. "Think of this as your repayment." Without another word, she swept from the room, Lucius at her side. She seemingly has taken over the lead role of their little unit. Then again, without a wand Lucius carries no real threat, not to mention the fact that she hasn't actually failed at a mission for Lord Voldemort.

Draco dawdled behind them for a fraction of a minute. "Yes, thanks for everything, mother and father," he spat to nobody in particular. "Because of you two, I am looking death in the face." With that, he too exited the room.

SP

_I am planning on rekindling my passion for this story and writing it this summer. I have realized that it is way too difficult for me to write at school so I will be writing over the breaks. I am getting a move on with this story, and I plan to make this one nice and juicy. Depending on how well I like my writing, this may be the only story I do this summer so I can dedicate a lot of time to it. However, I am beginning to formulate an idea for another one in the back of my mind . Reviews please! Tell me if you like the Draco and Astoria twist!_

_XOXO,_

_CHRISTINE_


	4. Affliction

_So I got only two reviews. But I'm assuming that's because my credibility has been awful. I keep SAYING I'm going to update…but then I don't. Well, I am here to prove to you that I can keep my word. So here is another chapter. Please let me know how you like it. I promise there will be some Draco and Hermione interaction soon! Enjoy!_

Affliction

I waited many extra minutes before daring to move in the library just in case the Malfoy's were lurking around near the large room. Somehow, I do not think they would be very happy with me if they knew I heard their little conversation. Although Draco will now have to keep company with the undesirable, I somehow do not feel much sympathy for him. All he has to do to stay alive is flash his golden smile at a girl while I have to creep around unnoticed. Before he dies, I will die. It is the inevitable, and I have begun to come to terms with that.

I was "invited" to the dinner table, meaning they wanted to discuss plans that would make my skin crawl, and tonight, it involved capturing the Weasleys.

"Thanks to our dear friend, Hermione, here," Bellatrix announced in a bittersweet voice, "we now know every single charm and enchantment, and we can overthrow them easily. The only reason we couldn't before is that we did not know what we were dealing with. Because there are many of them and their defeat is so important, we will use most of our ranks." Indecipherable murmurs of agreement followed this. "Rudolphus, Crabbes, Goyles, Macnair, Greengrass, Zabini, Parkinson, Dolohov, Snape, and the Carrows plus myself will take on this task. The twelve of us should be able to overtake them easily, especially since they will not all be in the same place at the same time. We are expecting two or three waves of attacks."

"When exactly will this be taking place?" Lucius asked interestedly.

"Why does that concern you?" Dolohov hissed at Lucius with glee, obviously excited that for once, he was on a higher level than the Malfoys. Lucius scowled.

"We have not decided when to launch the first attack," Rudolphus answered. "They will occur in rapid succession. We do not want the other Weasleys alerted after we kill the first few. They would have a chance at getting away. This must be done stealthily and efficiently."

"I want to volunteer my services," Draco announced to the group. "I personally knew the Weasleys."

"I don't see how that makes a difference," Rudolphus retorted, "except that maybe you will freeze up again like you did with dear old Dumbledore, and we can't risk that, now, can we?"

"No," Draco grudgingly agreed. Narcissa grabbed his arm threateningly as if to question his intentions in volunteering. He gave her a piercing look and the lines of her mouth thinned into an annoyed expression. "I just thought I could help."

"You offering your services is nearly as bad as Granger," Bellatrix scoffed. "We are under strict orders to keep you here since your family cannot manage to complete the simplest of tasks. You would probably blow the entire operation."

Lucius's fist slammed down on the table. "The prophecy was an unfortunate accident that would have happened to anyone!"

"Perhaps," Bellatrix hissed back threateningly, "but then there is the issue of Draco's failure to finish off Dumbledore. He couldn't even kill a foolish old man!"

"That foolish old man was the best wizard in the world next to the Dark Lord himself!" Draco bellowed. "Don't forget that, Bellatrix!"

"Dumbledore was way past his prime!" Bellatrix retorted crazily, breathing heavily. "You have done nothing to prove your ability and loyalty to the Dark Lord!"

"I spent an entire year in his service while at Hogwarts trying to murder Dumbledore!" Malfoy bellowed.

"Your efforts were half-hearted and weak!" Bellatrix countered. "Don't think you're fooling the Dark Lord, you stupid boy! He sees your hesitancy!"

"SILENCE!" Snape bellowed. "Bellatrix, hold your temper! The Malfoys are not worth it!"

Bellatrix laughed girlishly. "For once we see eye to eye, Snape." Snape bowed his head in her direction, flashing the Malfoys a warning look. Draco opened his mouth to fire off a defensive retort, but Snape silenced him with an extra piercing look.

After dinner, I was forced to serve tea to Draco and Astoria in one of the sitting rooms where they were deep in conversation. The only positive I saw in this was the opportunity this gave me to eavesdrop. Although Draco's love life doesn't really enthrall me very much, I must admit that I almost feel thankful for the miniscule amount of gossip still able to be produced in this household.

"So, Draco, how does it feel being cooped up in this place?" Astoria asked snottily.

Draco tried to hide his disgruntled attitude towards her. "I feel the same way you would," he sighed. "You're a go-getter, the same way I am. You won't stop at anything to achieve your goals. I like that about you."

A high-pitched giggle escaped my mouth. I quickly tried to turn it into a cough, throwing my hand up to my mouth as forcefully as possible. Astoria ignored me, but Draco looked my way and frowned, however. I don't know what came over me. His pathetic attempts at hitting on her were hilarious, though.

"That is exactly why I joined the ranks of the Death Eaters," Astoria explained, oblivious to my existence.

"I see," Draco replied, still staring at me. "You are thinking about your future too I gather?"

"Of course, but forgive me, Draco. You're future doesn't seem very promising, so why do you still try so hard?"

"If I give up then my future is automatically ruined," he said. "I want to show the Dark Lord how faithful I am. I was still young when I was designated the task to finish off Dumbledore. My inexperience got the best of me, but I will never let it happen again. I'm just going to bide my time, but as you can see, I am eager for another opportunity. I won't give up."

"I admire your determination," said Astoria. "If I were ever to end up in your situation, I hope I would have your attitude. However, I doubt I will ever end up like that. I am very confident in my own abilities and so is the Dark Lord, unless I'm much mistaken."

I could hear the annoyance in Draco's voice as he brusquely agreed, "As am I." Turning to me, he said, "Granger, bring us some of our finest oak-matured mead."

"Don't bother," Astoria said. "Since I have a wand, I can conjure it." Draco tried his best to hide his sheer annoyance at her unintentional cheek. "_Accio Oak-Matured Mead!" _ The drinks buzzed in instantaneously. "This way we don't have to waste our time. " She grabbed the mead and poured it into the glasses. She held hers up. "To the Dark Lord."

Draco nodded in agreement as he raised his glass. After clinking the glasses, they drank simultaneously. "Do you wish you were back at Hogwarts this year?" he asked her.

Astoria scoffed. "Not even a bit. I am happy to begin my duties to the Dark Lord earlier than most. You don't miss it, do you?"

"For the most part, no," Draco answered truthfully. "But I do miss my friends on occasion. Sometimes it's nice to just fool around once in a while."

"Yes," Astoria agreed, "but there is more time for that later. Right now, all our efforts must go into purging the wizarding world of the undesirable folk. Once that is done, all will be perfect, and we can live in a utopian place, the ideal world."

"Absolutely," Draco agreed. "The amount of progress we've made in so little time is both exciting and encouraging."

At that moment, Binka entered the room. "Binka carries a summons for Ms. Greengrass," the little elf explained. "Miss, you are wanted in Master Bellatrix's chambers right away."

"Alright," Astoria said, standing up. "I'll see you later, Draco. Duty calls." She swept importantly from the room without a backward glance.

"I heard your laughter," Draco unexpectedly said to me. "What was so funny?"

"Nothing," I replied, mumbling as I cleaned up the tea tray and mugs.

"That's not what it sounded like," Draco snapped. "Tell me, Granger. Now."

What the hell, I thought to myself. He has no wand. He can't hurt me.

"Your attempts at flirting with Astoria were slightly…pathetic," I said truthfully.

"Pathetic!" he exclaimed, insulted. "Watch who you're talking to Granger." I said nothing to him in response. "In case you haven't noticed, you're not in the best situation."

"Neither are you," I challenged, more gutsy than I had been throughout my captivity. Then again, like it was said at dinner, Malfoy is the closest person to my level in this place. He no longer is allowed to carry a wand. The only threat he physically offers is his size. If we were to begin a muggle duel, he could overpower me in seconds. Draco opened his mouth to make a retort but instead started laughing. "What's so funny to you?"

Draco shrugged. "We're stuck in the Dark Lord's lair in the center of his plans and we're still squabbling like we're back at Hogwarts where the biggest competition isn't the one to survive but the potion's practical classes or the Defense against the Dark Arts exams. You'd think we'd set aside our differences…or at least argue about things with actual substance."

"You make it sound like your situation is so dire," I snapped back, surprised at his logical conversation, "but you're not the one who watched their friends suffer and die only to be spared and kept as a trophy prisoner. Don't make it sound like you're stuck here. You chose this!"

"Chose being stuck inside my own house without a wand?" Draco shot back heatedly. "Are you insane, Granger?"

"You chose to be one of his followers," I reminded him. "Don't expect any sympathy from me." I shoved my scarring arm up to his face to remind him of the pain and labeling infliction he helped create. "Remember this? You haven't gone through this!"

"Well…," Draco said staring at it. "You are a mudblood, and I stand for the cause. You're in your rightful place." With this, he stood up and left.

Puzzled, I collapsed into the chair that he left. His dynamic switched into defensive and insulting at a split-second's notice. It was obviously a defense mechanism that he put up after I flat out refused to coddle him like he is used to. I never expected that I would play nice with Draco Malfoy during my time here, but I am in no mood for this to turn into a child's squabble like he pointed out. After all, there really is no point to it. At the same time though, there really is no point to interaction with him at all. I think that might be the better way. I avoid trouble in the manor at all costs. Now, I think it is time to avoid the Malfoys as well. Obviously they have accrued quite a bit of family drama, and getting drawn into that would be toxic. As fascinating as I find his "relationship" with Astoria Greengrass, it is not a prudent thing to think about.

I did not see Draco the rest of the night, a good thing for both of us. The conversation had such an abrupt end, something that did not happen at Hogwarts. Arguments involving Draco and his cronies against Harry, Ron, and I either ended in violence or a teacher's entering the vicinity. Never did someone make a shot and run away like a troubled boy. That is called cowardice. Obviously Draco is more scared than I originally anticipated. I guess I have to be somewhat sympathetic to his danger, but I find it extremely difficult. Like I pointed out to him, he chose this while I was sucked in by trying to do the right thing. My loyalty for Harry will bring about the end of me, but it is better than my hiding like a fearful "mudblood." I will face my captors with my head held high, and I will take as many people down with me as possible. Although I am left alone in this dark world, I can try my hardest to use the skills that I am being forced to abandon to inflict my pain on as many of the evil people in this confinement as possible

SP

Apparently as part of the ploy of the Death Eaters to catch the Weasleys off-guard, they have decided to announce the deaths of Harry and Ron to the Wizarding world via the Daily Prophet. I guess the tactic is to cause extreme pain and the emotion upheaval of the family so that they waste time focusing on their grief instead of fighting the Dark Arts. Of course, this could work either way. If the Death Eaters do not strike fast enough, the family will have had enough time to regroup and strike back. They are smart wizards. They would understand the heightened threat against the family. Surely they would understand that the next move of the Death Eaters would be to attack them and finish off the entire Weasley line. Elimination of the Weasleys would mean the resistance to "The Cause" is basically destroyed. If the Death Eaters get the Weasleys, they win.

SP

_I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I will be back as soon as possible with the next! I try to keep them long, so ideally I would update nightly, but I am a very busy person. Hopefully I can post the next chapter tomorrow, but I am not sure yet. Anyways, please review what I have written thus far. It is so encouraging to open my email and see a long list of emails that are reviews. Rest assured, I read them all, and if they are particularly useful, I write back if there is a link. I try to award my reviewers as much as possible! Thanks so much for reading this far. Keep with me! This story is really starting to get going!  
XOXO, _

_Christine_


	5. Hush, Fellow Captive

_Hello, everyone! I know it has been a year, and I apologize, but I am trying to come back to this story! I have some great ideas for it! Unfortunately, school starts in a week, but I am going to try and use this story as my "Zen" time. Please review!_

Hush, Fellow Captive

A striking hushed sense has usurped the manor indicating a pending plan. Death Eaters spend hours behind closed doors meticulously plotting their every move in their effort to conquer the Weasley clan. They have refrained from sharing any further plans with me for security reasons I am assuming. This operation is too important to leave to chance, and they must be on edge. If I somehow managed to make contact with the outside world, it could blow the entire operation. I find pleasure in the fact that I can disquiet them enough to hide some grisly secrets from me.

As far as I can tell, the Malfoys have also been left out of the mix. I have witnessed them whispering amongst each other in the library with their heads together. I have always taken great care to stay concealed, and they have never noticed me despite their paranoid glances in all directions. Mainly, they unsuccessfully brainstorm different ways of rising in the ranks, but the only plan they can currently concoct is the uniting of Draco Malfoy and Astoria Greengrass. After their first teatime in the lounge, Draco has been even less keen on the idea. His irritation and frustration has begun to reveal itself evermore as the days go on. Although Astoria is clearly attracted to him, she obviously sees him as beneath her and fails to take him entirely seriously, a situation Draco has apparently never confronted before.

"She just talks on and on about how the Dark Lord respects her powers and believes in her," Draco claimed to his mother one day. "She sounds like Bellatrix…completely batty."

"Interesting," Narcissa mused. "She really is dimwitted, then, for the Dark Lord respects nobody as we are all miles beneath him in power, skill, and cleverness. He's not exactly the nurturing type who 'believes in people.'"

"Narcissa…" Lucius warned, eyes darting once again, but failing to notice me hiding behind a particularly large bookshelf. "Don't say anything remotely negative."

"It's not negative. He's proud of the fact. That's what makes him such a formidable leader, a pillar in which the foundation of the wizarding world has begun to rest."

"That's not the point," Draco snapped. "Quite frankly, talking to her is an even worse punishment than being stuck in this house for eternity."

"Don't be dramatic," Narcissa snapped. "At this point, talking to her is the only idea we have that may keep us from being stuck in this house forever."

S{ OJDPOKSD

The day has arrived. I know this because they summoned me to the breakfast table where they passed around the newspaper gleefully. Bellatrix cackled madly throughout the entire meal.

"I love these mornings!" she sang as if Christmas had come early. "Happy Death Day, Mudblood! There's nothing like some good bloodshed to reinforce the cause! Don't you agree?"

I stared straight ahead as if I was trying to peer through the wall. I tried not to listen. I did not touch my food. Bellatrix thankfully was in too riled up of a mood to bother much with me.

"Plans are all set to be carried out!" she joyfully exclaimed passing along a hearty breakfast served up the by house-elves. "Someone hand me the newspaper! I want to read it aloud!" Astoria Greengrass hastily shoved the paper her way. "Ah, yes! The front page! _Ministry of Magic officials confirmed last night that the undesirables by the name of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley were apprehended in a forest just outside of Sydney, Australia. The location of the three was revealed after the usage of the Dark Lord's name by Harry Potter. Instead of succumbing to the authorities and cooperating, the three began a grave duel which resulted in their deaths. Ministry officials assure the population that the three were given the chance to surrender quietly and face the law's mandated consequences, but the hostile fugitives had other plans. The battle lasted roughly five minutes, but the teenagers ultimately were no match for the authorities. Due to the cowardly and criminal nature of the three's actions, the ministry will not allow any public tributes or funerals to be held. Any actions in violation of this regulation will face treason charges in accordance with the new Loyalty Laws. This will be the first and only warning to the wizarding world as a whole."_

"You said I'm dead too?!" I slipped out, shocked.

"Well of course, you stupid fool!" Astoria replied. "We couldn't as well have them knowing you are here! People could try and come after you or send you contact, and we don't want them having any hope that you are alive by saying you escaped!"

"Now, nobody will ever come looking for you!" Bellatrix squealed in glee. "You are all alone, now! There is no hope left, and once the Weasleys are gone, there will be nobody who actually likes you enough anyways in the wizarding world!"

I couldn't take it. I clambered out of my chair and ran as fast as I possibly could, down the hall, and out the nearest door I saw.

"COME BACK HERE, MUDBLOOD!" I heard Bellatrix scream behind me. She followed me outside, and with a wave of her wand, forcefully magicked me back to her. She dragged me by the hair back inside into the foyer where all the attendees of breakfast stood and watched, jeering. "_Crucio!"_

The force behind the curse and the searing pain caused me to scream a like a feral animal. The white-hot pain pierced me more aggressively than ever as my entire body sizzled in the Cruciatus Curse's raging fire.

"_Crucio!" _This time it was Astoria, less painful physically, but at this point the physical pain did not matter as much as the emotional pain. At this point in time, the Weasleys had probably just learned of their demise. They had to have been worrying for weeks with the lack of communication, and now the _Daily Prophet_ would be confirming their worst fears. With every utterance of the agonizing spell, I saw a different reaction from a different Weasley.

Molly Weasley was sobbing uncontrollably in the kitchen. She had just finished breakfast and was overseeing the dish scrubbings and food storage. She gripped the sink for support as sun streamed through the window and she contemplated the horror that had once again befallen her family.

_ "Crucio!"_

Motionlessly, Arthur Weasley lied at the table. He dared not move or make a sound. He heard his wife's screaming, but if he acknowledged anything, that would be validating its existence. This couldn't be correct. Clearly this was propaganda. If the three were gone, the world would no longer be turning. You Know Who would surely have torn the place apart with his evil actions.

_"Crucio!"_

Fred and George retreated to the living room and sat on the couch, horrified. Neither could look or speak to each other. The family had been relying on the hope of their mysterious mission for nearly a year, and it was taken from them unceremoniously and matter-of-factly. Why were they even in Australia anyways? Unfortunately, the two were too preoccupied with their grief to ponder that question for more than a split second.

_"Crucio!"_

The Dining Hall of Hogwarts erupted with energy as students reacted to the news. Horrified cries and sobs emanated throughout the school as Luna raced to find Ginny whom had not emerged from the Gryffindor Common Room yet. She could barely hold her composure together, but she knew she needed to be there for Ginny. She collided with Neville, who had not heard of the horrifying news yet. She begged him to give her entry to the common room as he demanded she tell him what was so horribly wrong.

_"Crucio!"_

Neville flailed and shook as Luna revealed the news of the Golden Trio's deaths. Hastily, he showed Luna back to the common room and opened the Fat Lady's portrait. Ginny had just emerged from the girl's dormitory.

"STOP!" roared a commanding voice. "Clearly she has had enough. The Dark Lord will be angry if she breaks now. He wants her to see his plans carried out." A dark figure stood in front of me. "That will do, Bellatrix."

"Aw, Severus, I was just playing with the mudblood," Bellatrix spat. "You are ruining the fun." His refusal to move silenced her. "Fair enough. It is time for the final meeting before the attack anyways."

The group retreated to a different room and left me in a heap on the floor.

"Draco, take her to her room and watch her," Snape commanded before striding off.

Silence filled the room as I lied motionless on the floor, trying to sink in. I do not want to move. I do not want to live.

Draco cleared his voice. "Get up." I ignored him, breathing shallowly. My fair covered my face, cloaking my view in darkness. I beg for eternal darkness, for the pain to end. "Granger, get up." This time his voice was louder, surer, yet more distant. A haze has begun to cloud my mind, a haze that I have hoped for increasingly for some time, unawareness. "Come on, Granger!" A buzzing began to fill my ears as lightness started to engulf my body. I felt as if I was floating away, oddly peacefully…

A rough tugging sensation brought me back, a restraint from moving on. Draco Malfoy began to try and pull me to my feet, but my body did not want to support me and stand up. He tried to haphazardly drag me but was too clumsy too succeed. Since he had no wand, he eventually picked me up, positioning me so he could walk as comfortably and efficiently as possible. He quietly carried me up the stairs, winding through corridors past the library. Once arriving at my chamber, he opened the door and supported me all the way to the bed. He lied me down on it and turned to leave. I let a sob escape and he turned around awkwardly. He made his way back over to me and carefully slid the covers down underneath my body and placed them over me. I opened my eyes. His face was paler than ever, and his eyes were bloodshot. He was sweating and shaking.

"Why can't you just kill me?" I whispered, pleading with him. "You could tell them I tried to escape. Please."

"I don't have a wand," Draco whispered back. "If I did…I would consider it."

That surprised me. "There are other ways of killing a person…a knife…you could even smother me with a pillow."

"I c-can't," Draco replied. "He has no intention of killing you. He just says that. He wants you to witness everything he does with the world. Right now, if I kill you, he kills me."

Any trace of floating haze abruptly vanished. "What?"

"He thinks killing you would be compassionate, humane," Draco said. "We're supposed to keep you from going insane, too, so that you are aware. He wants to torture you mentally and emotionally more so than physically."

I whimpered. Draco twitched. For a second, I thought he was going to make a comforting gesture but he seemed to think better of it. He sat down on the bed.

"Aren't you leaving?" I whimpered.

"I have to watch you," he reminded me.

"Oh yes," I sardonically moaned, "to make sure I do not do anything drastic so I can stay sane and healthy to watch Him carry out his evil plan." Draco said nothing in reply. "Just leave me be. It's not your fault if the pillow slips over my face and gets stuck there."

"Yes it is," was all he said. For a few moments, neither of us moved or talked.

"How come I am allowed to roam freely during the day, then?" I asked.

"You were because you showed no sign of trying to escape in any way, whether running away or…other ways. However, after this incident and the mission being carried out, I do not think you will be able to anymore."

"And I thought things couldn't get worse," I moaned.

"For the record…I…I'm sorry." My jaw dropped ever so slightly in surprise.

"YOU, sorry? This has to be some kind of sick joke He is playing on me. Leave me alone! Which can't you leave me alone?!" I began to shake and writhe, hoping he would get off the bed and leave. Even if He was not putting him up to this, how dare he try and empathize with me.

"It must be hard, is all."

"Don't you dare try and relate to me," I hissed. "You don't know what it is like…to watch the people most important to you die and then constantly have to hear of plans to kill the others. They are all I have left! My parents don't know of my existence! My best friends are dead! The Weasleys are the closest thing to family I have, and they will be gone too! Yes, Malfoy, it is hard! There is nothing worse, not that you actually care!"

"Hermione…I…I am trying. I do not want to be enemies with you. Th-there is no point."

My shock grew. Draco Malfoy is actually trying to reach an understanding with me. I find this hard to comprehend on many levels. "You want a truce, Malfoy, the Man of Slytherin? You want to be friends?"

"This is not about the petty Hogwarts stuff anymore, Granger, as you well know. We are both stuck here, lonely…"

"You aren't alone. You are with your family and friends."

"I know you have overheard my parents and me in the library on occasion," Draco said. At the look on my face he continued. "My parents didn't, but I always did. You know how awful Astoria is, and my parents are asking me to be with her."

"Boohoo, Draco, so you have to spend some time with the stupid bitch," I scathingly retorted, not showing any signs of sympathy. "Being forced to pretend to like someone is not some huge travesty."

"It is when getting in with her will cause me to have to kill people to avoid being killed. They walk around torturing and killing muggles and wizards for sport. I'll admit I was being stupid in my younger years when I walked around saying mudbloods were useless and didn't deserve to be wizards. However, I never imagined killing and torturing them, at least not seriously. That's…overboard."

"The whole thing is ridiculous, Malfoy!" I shot back. "I am not in the mood for some heart to heart about how you feel as if you need to account for yourself for your past actions. This doesn't make us friends or even acquaintances. You are one of my captors, and you are helping kill all who mean anything to me."

Draco said nothing in return. He sighed and looked out the window for a few minutes. I turned over, yearning for sleep to overcome me so I could have some relief. I was almost in a state of rest when I heard Draco lowly say something, a soft whisper:

"What you need to figure out is that I am not your captor. I am a fellow captive. I don't want any of this. All I want is for everything to stop, and for things to revert back to how they used to be.

_Please review! I will begin the next chapter and will have it posted within the next day or two hopefully! _

_XOXO,_

_Christine _


End file.
